Manager talks about assessment fee plan

BELLA VISTA — Property Owners Association General Manager Tom Judson on Tuesday night explained to about 100 residents why they should vote to increase their monthly assessment fees.

The association board last week approved a plan for an assessment election this fall. The plan calls for a $9 increase for residents, bringing their monthly fee to $33, and a $3 increase for nonresident members for a total of $19. Assessments can only be raised if a majority of voters approve the increase. The last time that happened was 2001.

Ballots will be mailed Sept. 1 and the results will be announced Nov. 1. If assessments had been raised 2.1 percent annually since 2001, they would have reached close to the amount the board is requesting, Judson said. The proposal calls for all members in good standing to vote on each increase separately.

Judson has been in Bella Vista only seven months and used his recent home-buying experience to justify the increase. He and his wife didn’t consider purchasing one home because it had avocado appliances, which indicated the house was dated. Association facilities are dated and need refreshing, he said.

Updating work already has started. A handout provided at the meeting highlighted new trails around Branchwood Clubhouse and new fitness equipment at Metfield Clubhouse as recently completed projects. Improvements at the Scotsdale Golf Course, including a new pub in the clubhouse and new bunkers on the course, are listed as projects now underway. So is the new Lakepoint Event Center that will replace the Yacht Club restaurant.

The next set of improvements are scheduled for 2017 and include a swim beach at Lake Avalon, more work on Branchwood and the renovation of the Country Club.

Members would see an expansion of the Branchwood building and new playground equipment at several association facilities in 2018.

The biggest projects are scheduled for 2020 to 2021. A new community center and swim complex — at the cost of about $7 million — are planned to replace Riordan Hall. Riordan would be converted to offices for membership services and the water department. The auditorium would probably be renovated and remain in use, Judson said.

Each phase of the plan includes money set aside for a needs assessment, which includes maintenance costs to keep the facilities at their current level, Judson said. A needs assessment will cost between $2.2 million and $4 million each year until 2022.

Judson isn’t counting solely on the assessment increase to pay for the plan, he said. He and his staff already found ways to save money previously budgeted, and he plans to bring in more money through operations. The handout showed “incremental cash from operational revenue, efficiencies and improvements,” almost matching the money coming in from the increase in assessments.

“What’s Plan B?” one audience member asked.

Fees will probably go up if one or both assessment increases fail and the projects will have to be downsized, Judson said.